The Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles have agreed to play the final frame of their nine-inning spring training game Tuesday afternoon without umpires to call balls and strikes, or outs, on the field.
The Orioles trailed 7-4 when a groundout ended the ball game, or at least it should have. Both managers, the Pirates’ Derek Shelton and the Orioles’ Brendan Hyde, got into a quick discussion that resulted in both teams setting up for the bottom of the ninth.
Now, if this was the regular season, that wouldn’t be allowed. But since spring training is all about repetitions, both teams thought they could tweak the rules a bit.
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Adley Rutschman #35 of the Baltimore Orioles bats against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first game of a doubleheader at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on October 5, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (G Fiume/Getty Images)
However, it’s not uncommon for teams to shorten or lengthen spring training games depending on what they need to work on. The 30 teams have different needs as they prepare for the 162-game marathon that is the regular season, and these kinds of discussions usually take place before games start.
However, the impromptu half inning saw Orioles prospect Ofreidy Gomez take the mound, and Maverick Handley was the one to call balls and strikes behind the plate.
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At that point, it’s the honor system.
The Camera of the Pirates broadcast caught the referees leaving the field, but they appeared to be having a brief discussion that perhaps had words on returning to their places on the field.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jose Hernandez (61) throws a pitch to home plate during the spring training game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates on February 27, 2023, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, FL . (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
But eventually they continued their walk off the field; after all, his workday was complete.
The Pirates clinched their fifth win of the spring in this one, as Canaan Smith-Njigba, the older brother of the NFL’s top prospect Jaxon Smith-Njigba, went 1-for-2 with two RBIs. Tucupita Marcano, the Pittsburgh second baseman, also had two RBIs in a 1-for-2 day.
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The Pirates will continue their Grapefruit League schedule before March 30, when they head to Cincinnati to face the Reds on Opening Day.
Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz (15) smiles after looking down the runner at second base during the spring training game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates on February 27, 2023 in LECOM Park in Bradenton, FL. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Baltimore will also be on the road, heading to Boston to take on the Red Sox on March 30.